St. Charles City Council Approves Study of One-Way Outer Roads

The on Tuesday approved a $39,600 supplemental contract for a  along Interstate 70 between Zumbehl Road and Mid Rivers Mall Drive. The  Road Board will reimburse 90 percent of the cost of the study.

The ordinance passed on a 8-2 vote with Councilman Bob Kneemiller, Ward-4, and Councilman Mike Weller, Ward-5, voting against it. The additional funds will go to develop a visual simulation model of the one-way outer road system which could be presented to business owners.

Kneemiller said he doesn't think that one-way outer roads will work in the city of St. Charles and that the county government should pay for the study.

To get federal grant funding for road projects you have to follow procedures and look at the alternatives, said Councilman Mike Klinghammer, Ward-8. To be able to check the box off that says you looked at the alternatives, you have to actually do that, even if you don't ever intend to choose that option, he said.

"It's a procedural thing we have to do," Klinghammer said.

Besselman Seeks End to Exemptions for Permit Fees

Councilman Tom Besselman, Ward-2, introduced a new bill that would get rid of exemptions for various groups from paying electrical and plumbing permit fees for new construction projects. The St. Charles Department of Community Development must inspect these projects.

Currently, other governmental entities, colleges and universities, schools and places of worship don't have to pay the fees, which are based on the estimated cost of the project. 

Besselman submitted a bill earlier this year to eliminate the exemption for colleges and universities, but withdrew it after several members of the council objected saying it appeared was targeted with the bill.

"They wouldn't support just singling out one," Besselman said. "That wasn't my intent. The intent was to get some more money back into the city for doing the work."

In other business:

• Deborah Reinhardt, managing editor of AAA Midwest Traveler presented city officials and members of the Festival of the Little Hills committee with a plaque honoring the magazine's choice of St. Charles as best historical small town and the festival as the best craft festival.

• The council approved the purchase of two street sweepers at a cost of $345,850 to replace the current sweepers which are more than seven years old.

• The council approved a renewed contract with Wright Express Financial Services for unleaded and diesel fuel. The city will get a $0.05 discount on the pump price on fuel purchases at ExxonMobil fuel sites and an additional $0.02 cent discount from sites in St. Charles county. The city will also get a $0.055 discount per gallon unleaded and a $0.03 cent per gallon discount for diesel fuel.